Face the future: New hair and make-up trends

Blue eyeshadow is back, chignons are chic, and purple is on everybody's lips. Harriet Walker looks forward to the new season's most captivating hair and make-up trends

Blue Eyeshadow

Banish thoughts of Barbara Cartland's peacock peepers; autumn's blue eyelids came in darker, vampier shades of teal and petrol that were at odds with some of the more restrained clothes on the catwalks.

"For a bit more drama, I loved the navy-blue, smoky eyes at Derek Lam," says Nicola Moulton, Vogue's beauty director. "And it's not for the faint-hearted, but the multi-coloured eyebrows at Balenciaga had everyone talking."

For everyday though, try darkening brows slightly to enhance your blue eyeshadow, which should be swept across the lid and taken up high along the browbone. Estée Lauder's creative director of make-up, Tom Pecheux, has designed a range for autumn called Blue Dahlia which includes a palette of pleasingly on-trend shades that can be blended according to exactly how dark and stormy you want to be.

"The smoky eye is a classic," he says "It can be bold or punk or more sophisticated. I wanted to bring an edge, so I added a touch of bright blue to create a fashion statement. The trick is to be very light-handed."

Keep skin matte and fresh-looking with powder but not too heavy a foundation, and skip cheek colour if you can bear it. The focus should remain around the eyes, but you can play up the lips with a hint of nude or gold. For extra zing, try Bobbi Brown's new Party Mascara in Denim – a slate-ish blue tone.

Deep Purple

Forget that dewy, fresh-faced summer look – autumn is the perfect opportunity to try out some of the more experimental make-up trends from the catwalks. Dark lips are always big news when the weather turns chillier, and this season's most hyped colour is a deep and plummy purple, which is directional and dramatic without being overtly – or scarily – gothic.

It's a more sophisticated take on the Nineties-inspired berry-coloured stain, rendered this season in gloss, metallics and (thankfully) a skin-friendly, warmer hue. Look out for shades at the redder end of the spectrum, as these are the most flattering and often the easiest to wear. Those containing more black will make skin look dull and teeth yellow, so beware.

"A natural base teamed with a dark, sultry lip colour is very on-trend this season," says Paul Herrington, lead make-up artist for Bobbi Brown. "For maximum effect, the eyes need to be defined and yet not heavily made up. Eyeliner and two coats of mascara should be enough."

And autumnal purple isn't just for faces. It gets another vote of confidence from Chanel, whose latest must-have nail colour is the winningly named "Paradoxal." A matte but iridescent grey-lilac shade with a hint of magenta, it may sound confusing, but those in the know are already making a beeline for it.

Naturally Dishevelled

Daytime make-up took inspiration from all the real-life, classic and grown-up clothes in the autumn collections, from softly waved and bouncy Seventies-inspired hair to neutral blush shades on eyes and cheeks, and camel tones radiating from healthy-looking and outdoorsy complexions.

Models at Chloé had fresh, radiant skin and bases at all the shows and avoided dewiness in favour of a chic, matte complexion. YSL's newly launched Teint Radiance foundation helps skin to glow rather than shine, and be sure to hold off on blusher: your base needs to be light and not overly apparent.

"My favourite show for beauty was Balmain – sexy yet cool," says Alessandra Steinherr, beauty director at Glamour. "For make-up, think low-maintenance but groomed. Crème de la Mer Radiant Concealer (£45) goes on ultra-light but makes skin flawless, then add bronzer to skim along cheekbones and define the socket of your eyes. Burberry's new version is perfect."

For those too attached to their warpaint to even countenance leaving the house looking so bare-faced, try defining the eyes by smudging some gunmetal or silver cream eyeshadow around the lower lashes and dabbing a little onto the lids as well. Keep mascara light and avoid eyeliner at all costs – the idea with this trend is not to look too pristine or doll-like, so it's an easy option if you don't have the time or inclination to apply a full face.

Hair Today

The haircut of the season is undoubtedly the Freja, after model du jour Freja Beha Erichsen. The fresh-faced Dane sums up the mood of the season with her choppy, laissez-faire, shoulder-length style, which is given definition and volume with layers and texture, and cut using a sharp-edged razor. It suits pretty much any face shape and doesn't take much upkeep.

"It's a dishevelled, broken-up cut with a loose structure," says Andrew John, colour director at London's Percy & Reed salon. "Keep a slightly blunt feel by not over-texturising, to keep that structure visible and give it a dense, thatch-like feel. Rough-dry the hair, twisting in different directions to give movement." Spritz a saltwater spray, like Bumble & Bumble's Surf Spray, onto wet hair to give texture and a bit of beachiness, then define ends with Shu Uemura's Shape paste.

The other big hair trend is, well, big. The bun and chignon are back, whether you opt for a modern top-knot or a ladylike beehive as at Prada, which came wrapped in chunky-knit hairbands (available in-store, £60). "The shape starts from the crown, while the front of the head is left flat," says hairdresser Luke Hersheson. "This season's top-knot is sophisticated and groomed – there's a Fifties feel but with a contemporary twist."